Magazine pea-shooter.



L. A. KERWIN.

MAGAZINE PEA SHOOTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, I916.

9,974. Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

JNIVENTJH.

NT canton.

LOUIS A. KERWIN, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

MAGAZINE PEA-SHOOTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

Application filed May 20, 1916. Serial No. 98,872.

To all evhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis A. KERWIN,

of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, and Province of Ontario,Canada, a subject of the King of Great Britain, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Magazine Pea-Shooters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My object is to devise a mechanically operated pea shooter provided withmeans for automatically feeding peas to the breech of the barrel andwith means for discharging caps simultaneously with the discharge of thepeas.

I attain my object by means of the constructions hereinafter morespecifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of my pea shooter partly broken away;Fig. 2 a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 a side elevation of part of thesame on a larger scale; and Fig. 4 a cross section on the line ab inFig. 1 on a larger scale.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsin the different figures.

The device includes a tripod, a casing mounted to rotate on the tripodand having a barrel and magazine connected therewith, and mechanismcontained within the casing and operated by a crank handle for feedingpeas from the magazine to the barrel, for ejecting the same from thebarrel, and for simultaneously therewith exploding caps.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 17 is the tripod on which thecasing 24 is mounted to turn in a horizontal plane. The casing ispreferably formed in halves as shown, and the parts have integraltherewith the barrel 21 and magazine 20. These parts are also preferablyformed in halves as shown. The parts are connected by means of bolts 25.The magazine, it will be seen, is inclined rearwardly and upwardly fromabove the rear end of the barrel, the opening at the lower end of themagazine being just forward of the opening 26 in the upper side of therear end of the barrel through which peas are fed into the barrel.

Between the barrel and the magazine a slide or pea carrier 5 is fitted.This slide has a hole formed therein to receive peas from the magazineone at a time. The slide is provided with the depending projection 27whereby it may be operating as hereinafter described. A spring 7suitably connected to the casing engages the slide as shown and tends tomaintain it in the position shown in the drawings. WVhen in its forwardposition the slide will receive a pea from the magazine, which, when theslide is drawn rearwardly will drop through the opening 26 into thebarrel ready for ejection. It will be noted that the rearward edge ofthe lower opening of the magazine and the forward edge of the hole inthe slide are beveled. This facilitates the separation of the peas toprevent more than one jamming in the opening in the slide.

Through the rear end of the barrel a slot 28.is formed through which thespring ejecting arm 4 may operate. This spring ejecting arm is suitablyconnected with the shaft of the crank handle 1. This spring arm is soproportioned that when the crank handle is rotated in the directionindicated by arrow, the end of the arm will strike against the abutment29, but as the revolution of the crank shaft is continued, it willgradually bend past said abutment and on release will forcibly strikeany pea within the end of the barrel and eject the same therefrom. Theshaft of the crank arm also carries a wiper 3, which is adapted toengage the tail of the lever 6. This lever is yoke-shaped as shown, theparts being pivoted in the opposite sides of the casing. Between theparts of the lever the spring arm 4 is adapted to operate. The upper endof this yoke-shaped lever engages the projection 27 on the slide 5. Thewiper 3 is so positioned relative to the spring arm 4 that the slide 5is first operated to feed a pea into the barrel, and immediatelythereafter the spring arm caused to eject the same.

It is my object to explode a cap simultaneously with the ejection of thepea, and as the ejection of peas is effected as rapidly as the crankhandle can be rotated, I employ a ribbon 30 with explosive caps formedin or on the same at regular intervals. This ribbon or strip is adaptedto pass around the anvil 10 at the rear end of the casing. For feedingand exploding the caps I provide the pivoted bent lever 9, the lower endof which lies in the path of the wiper 2 secured to the shaft of thecrank handle. The wiper 2 and the end of the lever 9 are in a differentplane to the wiper 3 and the end of the lever 6, so that each wiperactuates its own lever and none other. The

upper end of the lever has the projection 9 formed thereon, whichcooperates with the surface of the upper part of the anvil to engage andmove the ribbon 80 around the anvil. The lower part of the lever isprovided with the hammer 31 adapted to strike and explode the cap as itis brought to the proper position. In Fig. 3 the strip has been fedandthe hammer is ready to be released to strike a cap, and this releaseoccurs at or about the same time that the spring arm 4: releases itselffrom the abutment 29. A bent spring 16 connected. with the casing andwith the lever 9 provides the power to return the lever to its normalposition and to cause the hammer to strike the cap with suflicientforce.

It will be noticed that the ends of the pivot 33 of the bent lever 9work in oval holes 11 in the sides of the casing, the major axes of theholes lying substantially parallel to the barrel. The result of thisarrangement is that when first the bent lever is locked by the wiper 2,it rocks on the spring and the pivot moves to the rearward ends of theholes, which allows the cap feeding projection to come in contact withthe ribbon 30. When the bent lever is released by the wiper 2 it rockson the spring and the pivot moves to the opposite ends of the holes 11,releasing the cap feeding projection from the Strip or ribbon 30 so thatthe projection 9 does not move the ribbon 30 back with it. v

The casing is provided with the opening 13 for the introduction of theribbon 30, and the opening 14 for the discharge of exploded caps. A wing15 is also provided to guide the exploded strip to the outlet 14. Aspring brake 12 is provided adjacent the opening 18 and adapted to pressthe ribbon 30 against the anvil so that it moves only as actuated by thelever 9. An opening 18 is also formed in the casing below the lower endof the barrel 21 which serves for the exit of any peas broken within theapparatus.

At the breech end of the magazine a slotted opening is formed betweenthe walls 22. the slot being of sufiicient width to admitonly peas ofthe proper size. Oversized peas will roll out through the opening 82 atthe forward end of the walls 22. By this arrangement I prevent thejamming of the apparatus through the introduction of oversized peas.

From the above description it will be seen that I have devised simplemeans for the production of a rapid fire of peas accompanied bydetonations so that the apparatus in action resembles the operation of amachine gun.

It will be understood throughout the specification the use of the termpea includes not only ordinary peas, but any pellets of suitable sizeand character for handling in the same manner as the peas.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a pea shooter, the combination ofa barrel having a slot in its rear end and an opening in the upper sideadjacent the rear end for the admission of a pea; a magazine with itsrear end over the breech of the barrel; a slide adapted whenreciprocated to admit peas one by one to said barrel through the openingtherein; a crank handle; means whereby the crank handle actuates saidslide in one direction; a spring tending to move the slide in theopposite direction; a spring arm connected with said crank handle torotate therewith; and an abutment behind the slot in the end of thebarrel adapted to engage the end of the spring arm and past which saidend may be forced by the continued movement of the arm to pass throughthe slot in the end of the barrel.

2. In a pea shooter, the combination of a barrel having a slot in itsrear end and an opening in the upper side adjacent the rear end for theadmission of a pea; a magazine with its rear end over the breech of thebarrel; a slide adapted when reciprocated to admit peas one by one tosaid barrel through the opening therein; a crank handle; a lever of thefirst order; a projection on the slide engageable by said lever toretract the slide; a spring tending to return said slide to its normalposition; a projection on the crank handle adapted to rock the other endof said lever and pass by; a spring arm connected to said crank handleto rotate therewith; and an abutment behind the slot in the end of thebarrel adapted to engage the end of the spring arm and past which saidend may be forced by the continued movement of the arm to pass throughthe slot in the end of the barrel.

3. In a pea shooter, the combination of a barrel having a slot in itsrear end and an opening in the upper side adjacent the rear end for theadmission of a pea; a magazine with its rear end over the breech ofthebarrel; a slide adapted when reciprocated to admit peas one by one tosaid barrel through the opening therein; a crank handle; a yokeshapedlever of the first order; a projection on the slide engageable by saidlever to retract the slide; a spring tending to return said slide to itsnormal position; a projection on the crank handle adapted to rock theother end of said lever and pass by; a spring arm connected with saidcrank handle to rotate therewith and pass between the parts of theyoke-shaped lever; and an abutment behind the slot in the end of thebarrel adapted to engage the end of the spring arm and past which saidend may be forced by the continued movement of the arm to palss throughthe slot in the end of the barre 4. In a pea shooter, the combination ofa barrel having an opening in the upper side adjacent the rear end; anupwardly and rearwardly inclined tubular magazine having the opening, ofits lower end just in front of the opening into the barrel; a slideadapted to reciprocate'between said openings and provided with a hole ofsufiicient size to receive a pea, the forward side of the hole in theslide and the rearward side of the said opening of the magazine beingbeveled; and means actuated by a crank handle for reciprocating saidslide.

5. In a a shooter, the combination of a barrel having a slot in its rearend and an opening in the upper side adjacent the rear end for theadmission of a pea; means for automatically feeding peas theretoincluding a rocking lever; cap-feeding and exploding means including arocking lever; a crank handle; wipers actuated by said crank handleadapted respectively to actuate said levers, said wipers and the leverends engaged thereby lying in different planes so that each wiperactuates its proper lever and no other; a spring arm connected with saidcrank handle to rotate therewith; and an abutment behind the slot in theend of the barrel adapted to engage the end of the sprin and past whichsaid end may be forced by the continued movement of the arm to passthrough the slot in the end of the barrel.

6. In a pea shooter, the combination of a barrel having a slot in itsrear end and an opening in the upper side adjacent the rear end for theadmission of a pea; means for automatically feeding peas theretoincluding a yoke-shaped rocking lever; cap-feeding and explodin meansincluding a rock ing lever; a cran handle; wipers actuated by said crankhandle adapted to respectively actuate said levers, said wi ers and thelever end engaged thereby lying in different planes so that each wiperactuates its proper lever and no other; a spring arm connected with saidcrank handle torotate therewith; and an abutment behind the slot in theend of the barrel adapted to engage the end of the spring and past whichsaid end may be forced by the continued movement of the arm to passthrou h the slot in the end of the barrel, said sprlng arm also beingadapted to pass between the parts of the yokeshaped lever.

7 In a pea shooter, the combination of a barrel; means for ejecting peastherefrom; rockable cap feeding and exploding means comprisin a pivotedbent lever, an anvil, the lever eing formed with a projection adapted tocooperate with the anvil to feed forward a strip of caps and a hammerforward of said projection, and a spring tendlng to throw the hammeragainst the anvil; a crank handle and means whereby the rotation of thehandle actuates the pea ejecting mechanism and rocks and releases theaforesaid bent lever.

8. In a pea shooter, the combination of a barrel; means for ejectingpeas therefrom; rockable cap feeding and exploding means comprising ananvil, a bent lever provided with a pivot, a bearing for the p1votpermitting a slight motion of the pivot to and from the anvil, the leverbeing formed with a projection adapted to cooperate with the anvilto'feed forward a strip of caps and a hammer forward of said projection,and a spring tending to throw the hammer against the anvil; a crankhandle and means whereby the rotation of the handle actuates the peaejectin mechanism and rocks and releases the a oresaid bent lever.

9. In a pea shooter, the combination of a barrel; means for ejectingpeas therefrom; rockable cap feeding and exploding means comprising ananvil, a bent lever provided with a pivot, a bearing for the pivotpermitting a slight motion of thepivot to and from the anvil, the leverbeing formed with a projection adapted to cooperate with the anvil tofeed forward a strip of caps and a hammer forward of said projection,and a spring tending to throw the hammer against the anvil, and a springbrake cooperating with the anvil behind the said fprojection to preventbackward movement '0 the strip; a crank handle and means whereby therotation of the handle actuates the pea ejecting mechanism and rocks andreleases the aforesaid bent lever.

10. In a pea shooter, the combination of a barrel; means for ejectingpeas therefrom; rockable cap'feedin and exploding means comprising ananvi a bent lever provided with a ivot, a bearin for the pivotpermitting a 'ght'motion 0% the pivot to and from the anvil, the leverbeing formed with a projection adapted to cooperate with the anvil tofeed forward a strip of caps and a hammer fOIWliLI'd of said projection,and a spring tending to throw the hammer against the anvil, and meansadjacent said projection to prevent backward movement of the cap strip;a crank handle and means whereby the rotation of the handle actuates thepea ejecting mechanism and rocks and releases the aforesaid bent lever.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 15th day of May, 1916.

LOUIS A. KERWIN. Witnesses:

JOHN L. KOCHIENDERFER, EM A LEA MONTGOMERY.

